Posts from 2015

by David L. Kirp

Does preschool work? Although early education has been widely praised as the magic bullet that can transport poor kids into the education mainstream, a major new study raises serious doubts.
Since 2004, Tennessee has offered state-subsidized prekindergarten, enrolling more than 18,000 of the state’s needies… More

by Jennifer M. Granholm

As a Catholic, I share the gratitude -- and joy! -- of so many that Pope Francis has re-centered the Church on the issues that Jesus truly prioritized in his teachings: mercy for the poor, comfort for the sick and a Kingdom on Earth that we can make heavenly through our actions and our pastoral care. He hasn't… More

by Daniel Heimpel

A Turkish police officer stands next to a migrant child's dead body off the shores in Bodrum, southern Turkey, on September 2, 2015 after a boat carrying refugees sank while reaching the Greek island of Kos. Thousands of refugees and migrants arrived in Athens on September 2, as Greek ministers held talks on t… More

by Solomon Hsiang and Kyle Meng

The last major El Niño brought droughts, floods and disease to equatorial regions – bad luck that those of us in temperate areas should help mitigate.
One region's weather win is another region's catastrophe.
The current buzz in cafes across California is that snow from this year’s b… More